another 7 billion for the same purpose. i commend governor cuomo and christie including strategic mitigation needs in their funding request. both of these leaders have demonstrated incredible compassion and concern for the people whom they represent in have been highly effective set the disaster began and may also include mia bloomberg, and many other local officials the and did the job there were elected to do. i look forward to hearing, witnesses today. my colleagues whom i have the deepest respect for and have been engaged in many conversations with them, as i am all too familiar with what they're going through. i am looking for to their suggestions. our first panel includes senators from the affected areas in the interest in time i have asked each one to limit their statement to four minutes, but their entire written testimony will be included in the record. we will take documents or papers that they want to submit to help us build the most robust response that we can. before i introduce the panel of want to introduce the ranking member senator coats. i want to then turn to se